Gorakhpur Toll Crosses 70, Revealing UP's Failing Health System
With the death toll of children at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College in the eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP) city of Gorakhpur crossing 70 on August 16, 2017, it is apparent that the medical infrastructure of India's most populous cannot cope with major disease outbreaks.
Indeed, UP's health system cannot cope with even the regular health requirements of its 200 million people. As the latest available health data reveal, UP has India's highest infant mortality rate(probability of a child dying before the age of one per 1,000 live births) of 64 and under five mortality ratio (probability of a child dying before the age of five per 1,000 live births) of 78.
We storified a thread of tweets we put out on August 16, 2017 to give you an idea of the state's health infrastructure.
As #GorakhpurTragedy reveals dysfunction in state , Babies die in UP at rate greater than poor, chaotic Burkina Faso in Africa (1/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP’s under-five mortality rate almost same as Mozambique (79), which has half of India’s (GDP) per capita. #gorakhpurTragedy (2/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP spends Rs 452 per capita on health, 70% less than Indian average (3/12) https://t.co/FaVo9orICM
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP has 1 doc/3812 people,2X Indian avg 1:1674,WHO suggests 1:1000.Karnataka 1:754, AP 1:871 #GorakhpurTragedy(4/12) https://t.co/gpPPW9XWyD
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
In 15 yrs, as UP's popn. grew 25%, primary health centres reduced 8%. #GorakhpurTragedy (5/12) https://t.co/EblEAi1pIq
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
With India’s highest infant mortality rate UP has only 19.8% (154) of pediatricians it needs. #GorakhpurTragedy (6/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP has a shortage of 34 % (10,679) sub centres as against India’s shortfall (20%) #GorakhpurTragedy (7/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP 33% short of Primary Health Centres against India shortfall 22%; UP has India’s highest rate of baby deaths #GorakhpurTragedy (8/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
UP health system has only 14.4% of surgeons, OB/GYNs that it needs as #GorakhpurTragedy reveals dysfunction. (9/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
Of infant deaths in UP (4/2015 to 3/2016) 13% in 24 hours of birth, 54% in 4 weeks, 33% in 1-11 months. #GorakhpurTragedy (10/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
Pneumonia 22%, fevers 18%, diarrhoea 5% main killers of babies 1-11 months in UP (2015-16) #GorakhpurTragedy (11/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
Only 51.1% of children 12-23 months in UP fully immunised (BCG, measles, 3 doses of polio & DPT) vs 62% in India. #GorakhpurTragedy (12/12)
— IndiaSpend (@IndiaSpend) August 16, 2017
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